Goodbye Uriah

[YPestis]

The Maxwells used to be more open about the type of work their sons did. I don't know if it's because they prefer to keep the younger sons' jobs private, or because the reversal boys are not doing anything worth bragging about.

Nathan is/was an IT consultant. Steve used to brag about how, without a college degree, he gets complimented and hired by companies to do computer work, how he wrote a manual for a college professor etc. Christopher does photography and graphics stuff. I'm not sure what else he did for the family's consulting company. They only vaguely mentioned John's or Joseph's budding IT skills. Jesse gets brief mention that he's involved with the family IT business. All the boys seem to be involved in their ITOnRamp thing. I guess the online teaching must be successful to have everyone jump on the bandwagon.

The one thing Steve will always note is how BUSY his kids are. In their heavily scrubbed blog, the men are always in high demand and have to carefully allocate their time because OMG they just have so many projects going on! I guess I find their prating mildly amusing. I wonder how much money each son is making from their jobs. Steve, when writing his Providing Sons book, showcased Nathan's income, and said any boy worth their salt at age 18 should "easily" be able to start out with $40k back in the late 90's. I'm assuming his older two sons probably made somewhere in that neighborhood back then. He hasn't hinted at how much his younger sons make, so I don't know if they are as successful as their older brothers, or struggling to keep afloat. I'm willing to bet that the younger boys are having more of an uphill battle with income. The late 90's saw the IT boom, the late 2000's saw the height and crash of the housing boom. There's also been a recession in recent years. A bunch of self-taught young boys will probably not get many jobs starting out. Maybe that's why Steve is noticeably vague about the reversals. They may still be trying to curve out a career path. Anyway, this is all speculation.

[Buzzard]

Pray for Uriah! He's in trouble!

Right now, he’s trying to drive Uriah out West, but due to a snow storm, he’s facing challenges. Thankfully he filled up with diesel before the interstate stopped. Please pray for safety as the roads are bad as evidenced by many accidents. He’s now stopped once again, waiting for the interstate to get moving. He’s been in this area for several hours now.

Sarah

Oh no! They're stopped on a road! Whatever will John do to occupy his time as he passes long hours alone on a bus? :whistle:

[ILoveJellybeans]

Pray for Uriah! He's in trouble!

Oh no! They're stopped on a road! Whatever will John do to occupy his time as he passes long hours alone on a bus? :whistle:

John's first alone time ever and he is stuck waiting in the bus....

He will step out of the bus and a whole pile of tissues and old socks will fall out after him. I hope the new owners don't mind the sticky floors.

[socalrules]

I was wondering if John was going to drive out alone. I don't see why Jesse couldn't go with him for accountability or at least company. I cannot imagine having to drive that bus such a long way without anyone else for for company. It isn't like Jesse is business with school or work or anything remotely interesting.

[twin2]

I was wondering if John was going to drive out alone. I don't see why Jesse couldn't go with him for accountability or at least company. I cannot imagine having to drive that bus such a long way without anyone else for for company. It isn't like Jesse is business with school or work or anything remotely interesting.

This whole scenario strikes me as odd. The Maxwells don't even go to the grocery store by themselves, yet, John has to drive Uriah to CA by himself. There is no reason Jesse or Steve couldn't and frankly should have gone with.

Just like Sarah to make it sound like a crisis of epic proportion.

[Buzzard]

I wonder if he has to join the fast tomorrow.

But seriously, pull Uriah off at the next rest stop and chill till the roads clear. This isnt all that hard.

[church_of_dog]

I wonder if he has to join the fast tomorrow.

But seriously, pull Uriah off at the next rest stop and chill till the roads clear. This isnt all that hard.

Agreed. I could understand if warm-weather flatlanders get a bit spooked when roads are closed or delayed due to snow or ice -- but the Maxwells seem to go to Colorado regularly for what some might call a vacation, so we know they understand that this just happens sometimes. It's not a tragedy, or even a crisis since they're not in any particular hurry -- in fact closing or delaying the roads is done in order to PREVENT a tragedy by not letting traffic on the road until it is safe and clear.

It's hard to even call it a hardship since he's in a bus with fuel, heat, room to sleep, and even a toilet (I presume). Just think how much harder it is for the passenger cars lined up all around him...

I think they know it's not a crisis, but they don't know how to say "ooh, a little excitement" in an appropriate way, so they just default to "pray for us" :roll:

[treemom]

I wonder if he has to join the fast tomorrow.

But seriously, pull Uriah off at the next rest stop and chill till the roads clear. This isnt all that hard.

Especially when he doesn't actually have a job.

[SPHASH]

Agreed. I could understand if warm-weather flatlanders get a bit spooked when roads are closed or delayed due to snow or ice -- but the Maxwells seem to go to Colorado regularly for what some might call a vacation, so we know they understand that this just happens sometimes. It's not a tragedy, or even a crisis since they're not in any particular hurry -- in fact closing or delaying the roads is done in order to PREVENT a tragedy by not letting traffic on the road until it is safe and clear.

It's hard to even call it a hardship since he's in a bus with fuel, heat, room to sleep, and even a toilet (I presume). Just think how much harder it is for the passenger cars lined up all around him...

I think they know it's not a crisis, but they don't know how to say "ooh, a little excitement" in an appropriate way, so they just default to "pray for us" :roll:

They driven all the way into Northern Alberta during the winter. This should be a piece of cake.

[Justme]

Well, if they at least read a newspaper, they would know about the polar vortex's visit. He could have waited a few days.

But these are the people who drove in the middle of a storm to record their CD.

God did give us a brain for a reason....

[anjulibai]

I'm guessing John is courting someone and that's why he's allowed to be alone.

[Odd1Out]

This whole scenario strikes me as odd. The Maxwells don't even go to the grocery store by themselves, yet, John has to drive Uriah to CA by himself. There is no reason Jesse or Steve couldn't and frankly should have gone with.

Just like Sarah to make it sound like a crisis of epic proportion.

Wonder if this is Steve and Terie's punishment for John saying he wanted to be out on his own, maybe live in his own house or go to Starbucks by himself. So they waited till a snowstorm was predicted then sent him out all alone to get stuck in it and teach him how great it is to not have his family around to help!

[terranova]

I wonder if John's ever been on his own before? It must be quite unsettling for him.

[Odd1Out]

I wouldn't doubt that Steve, Nathan or Christopher are tracking John on his phone GPS so he doesn't make any stops at say a truck stop for dinner or unauthorized Walmart trip. They probably make him check in on Skype every half hour. I hope he's finding some great stations on the radio though!!

[DrPusey]

The latest update says that John is taking Uriah to Phoenix. Do we know any likely courting possibilities on the way there or back?

I guess he's not going to Idaho to see John Marie's sister, eh?

And I still want to know how he's getting back to Leavenworth.

[WonderingInWA]

The latest update says that John is taking Uriah to Phoenix. Do we know any likely courting possibilities on the way there or back?

I guess he's not going to Idaho to see John Marie's sister, eh?

And I still want to know how he's getting back to Leavenworth.

Flights from Phoenix to Boise are pretty cheap, so never say never! He absolutely must be courting. There is no other explanation for him traveling alone.

[WonderingInWA]

And ooooo, wouldn't it be fun to think he might be courting the other Elissa who comments on their blog who lives (I think) in Mexico? Phoenix is close!

[DrPusey]

And ooooo, wouldn't it be fun to think he might be courting the other Elissa who comments on their blog who lives (I think) in Mexico? Phoenix is close!

Heh. The real question then would become this: would Elissa Mark Two have to be Elissa Marie because Joseph's Elissa got there first? Or is it only born and bred Maxwells who get full custody of their first names?

[WonderingInWA]

Heh. The real question then would become this: would Elissa Mark Two have to be Elissa Marie because Joseph's Elissa got there first? Or is it only born and bred Maxwells who get full custody of their first names?

Undoubtedly, she'd be Elissa Marie and they don't have to have any kind of logical nomenclature, they just make the rules up as they go along. You might recall they also renamed NR-Anna's younger sister because she had the nerve to be named Sarah (IIRC) and that was just way too confusing for all of them. Unbelievable.

[LurkerOverThePond]

I wonder if John's ever been on his own before? It must be quite unsettling for him.

This. He's a reversal kid who never knew normal life so it IS very much possible this is the first time ever in his life that he's on his own for a longer period of time. All we can think of is limitless possibilities (listening to music, eating whatever he damn wishes, seeing the sights, sweet sweet fellowship in Uriah's countless beds, Vegas, ...), but I'm sure he's nervous being alone, hurrying to the new owners of Uriah and coming back to the safety of the compound as soon as possible.

Sigh.

[WonderingInWA]

And is he Skypeing in for family Bible time? Sadly, he probably is.

[LurkerOverThePond]

And is he Skypeing in for family Bible time? Sadly, he probably is.

Most definitely.

[julie paradox]

I'm now imagining John, who has actually read the bible quite a lot, offering the use of toilet and beds to the hassled single mother with small children in the car next to him.

I'm the eternal optimist :whistle:

[blessalessi]

He is friends and business partner with John Demcak who has gone off the fundie rails and become engaged to a floozy hairdresser. And Steve let him travel across the country alone in Uriah? :?

[WonderingInWA]

He is friends and business partner with John Demcak who has gone off the fundie rails and become engaged to a floozy hairdresser. And Steve let him travel across the country alone in Uriah? :?

Speaking of John-Marie, his wedding date has been set for January 10, 2015. That's coming right up! He's got photos on his (public) FB page of them...wait for it...KISSING! She is a hussy! I hope Steve realizes what a dangerous influence John-Marie is on the Maxwell family! Cease all ties!

John-Marie looks really happy. His bride needs a good orthodontist, but that's just the smile snark in me (I'm sorry, but orthodontia is worth every penny). I would love to have been a fly on the wall when he told his parents about his girlfriend/fiance who doesn't appear to be cut of the same frumper cloth as his mother and sister.